How to Dress Like a Mad Man

Finally, there's a book for those of us who worship at the (fashion) altar of Don, Joanie, and Peggy. Janie Bryant, the costume designer who makes all of them look so positively dashing, has just published “The Fashion File: Advice, Tips, and Inspiration from the Costume Designer of Mad Men,” (foreword by January Jones, naturally). Recently, I had the pleasure of talking to Bryant about her book. She was in Los Angeles, where she moved from New York eleven years ago, and she spoke with unmitigated passion for "Mad Men" and her role in it. Bryant is charming. She would admit to having no favorite among the characters, confessed that she began designing costumes using her Barbie dolls—and you know that scene in season four, when the women all get on the elevator together? It’s one of her favorites, too. An edited version of our conversation appears below.

If you had to name just one influence (person or thing), that helped you along the way, who or what would it be?

Old movies. When I was young, I’d be glued to the TV watching old movies on TNT, and my mother was just like, “Janie, you have got to go outside.” She loved them, too, and always took us to the Tivoli theatre in Chattanooga (I grew up in Tennessee), where we’d watch movies like “Wuthering Heights” and “On the Town.” For me, it wasn’t so much about the actors, it was what they were wearing. I wanted to get into costume design because I loved the whole idea of getting into the psychology and motivation of a character, and looking at all the choices a person makes in her life. My job is, essentially, to tell a story about characters through costume. There’s always the discussion of “Oh, you’re a stylist.” Being a stylist is great, but it’s about creating an image—what people see on the red carpet. A costume is about creating a character. I’m always thinking, How am I going to tell the story for this scene?

Tell me about some of the feedback you’ve gotten from your “Mad Men” actors—the good and the bad.

For years, Elisabeth Moss was, like, “I hate mustard. Why do I have to wear mustard?” Lizzie and I always laugh about that. I know it’s not the most flattering color, but I think it’s such an iconic one for Peggy. Although, this year, after season four, she did say to me, “Janie, okay, now I do love mustard.” Jon Hamm hates when I ask him if his pants are pulled up high enough. I’m sure he’s like, “Janie, you’ve been telling me for four years—my pants are high enough!” I’m a stickler about the men having their pants pulled up—during that period, they hit at the bellybutton, and these days, guys aren’t used to wearing their pants that high. It’s all only in a loving way—we have a lot of fun together. They’ve been so trusting since the beginning. In general, the actors really do feel that transformation into their character, and that’s probably the best compliment I could get.

Ladies in the elevator.

Do you get useful feedback from fans, especially regarding your embracing of different body types?

I do, a lot. Matthew Weiner wanted to have a cast with all different body types. He’s so knowledgeable about the time period and loves it so much; he really wanted to have all that variation, because that’s how people were. It’s not like people were going to the gym. They were at their desks; they were having three-martini lunches. It’s not like men were buff. People are so athletic in today’s culture—everyone wants to have toned muscles. If a woman had a body like that in those days, she would be considered almost manly. People—especially women—were softer, more feminine. Women have really responded to the gloriousness of Christina Hendricks and the amazing Joan Holloway. She’s the sexy bombshell of the office.

In your book, you cite different style icons, including Napoleon Bonaparte, Steve McQueen, Louise Brooks, and Brigitte Bardot. If you had to pick one male and one female, who would you choose?

Napoleon Bonaparte and Rita Hayworth. “Cover Girl,” with Rita Hayworth, is one of my all-time favorite movies. How she flips her hair, how she plays the guitar. It’s so genius. She’s so beautiful. And talk about a gorgeous figure. Beautiful hourglass. “The Women,” 1939—one of the best fashion shows in the history of moviemaking. I am so obsessed with old movies.

What are some differences between men and women’s costuming that we might not expect?

In some ways, I’m more obsessed with menswear than women’s, because of all the little secrets that go into men’s tailoring. The details with the lining, all of the incredible, minuscule nips and tucks that go into the alterations. I love all the fabric for menswear—all the classic qualities. To the general public, women’s wear may seem more exciting, but I love all the nuances that go into men’s that you might not see.

As pretty much everyone now knows, a muffin top is no longer just a delightful breakfast food favored by Elaine on “Seinfeld.” What are your pet peeves when it comes to the way people dress themselves?

I hate panty lines. I hate fanny packs. I hate people wearing exercise gear and athletic apparel as clothing. When you’re wearing those big clothes, you have no sense of your body. In general, sloppiness is my pet peeve. I think it makes such a difference when we wear things that we feel great in, makes such a difference in how we present ourselves to the world. My dad was so big on “take pride in your appearance!” and all us kids said, “Oh dad, that’s so nerdy.” We all wanted to wear ripped jeans and boots and be all rock-and-roll, but now I understand what he was saying.

Menswear. Pants at bellybutton level.

Also (I’m going to put it out there in the world right now), I’m on a mission—I would love to redesign uniforms. They’re so important. People can look so sharp or they can look so bad, and it’s all in the fit. If people who worked in the service industry looked sharp, I think response to them would be so different. Think about the glamour of the airlines and how beautiful everyone was—it had so much to do with the uniforms. I mean, I have to say that my aunt Linda was a flight attendant for Eastern, and it was terribly, terribly sexist, and I have no desire to bring that back, but ill-fitting uniforms are a real pet peeve.

In your book, you write that in 2005, an anonymous eBay bidder paid $60,000 for a 155-year-old pair of Levi’s. Nowadays, people regularly shell out upwards of a hundred and fifty dollars for a pair of jeans. Worth it?

I think it depends on the jeans. Jeans are a staple of a wardrobe, but it depends on your priorities. Would I go out and spend hundreds of dollars on computer products? No. It really just depends on your interests. If you can afford to buy very expensive jeans and it’s a cut that makes you want to rock out in the world, then yeah, I think it’s worth it.

What are your all-time favorite outfits that you’ve chosen for Betty, Joan, and Peggy?

I have so many favorites of Joan’s from season four. Her red Christmas dress that I designed for her—wool crepe, silk satin around the neckline and cuffs, and bows. Not only did I love that dress on her, but I loved the way she moved in it, in that conga line. It was a sight. She’s incredible. Also, I love her turquoise wool-crepe dress, another that I designed—short sleeves, self-ruffled neckline, and her little belt. I love turquoise on Christina.

Betty as immaculate mother-to-be.

One of my favorites for Betty is a dress I designed for her this year—the blue-and-grey-plaid winter shirtwaist dress. That’s probably one of my favorite scenes, too, where she goes and lies down in Sally’s bed. An all-time favorite is her pink-and-white-lace maternity dress—the part where Henry puts his hand on her stomach. Matt wanted that scene to feel romantic, and all I could think of was Mr. Valentino and Betty and lace and how she’s the immaculate bride. I know I talk about this dress a lot, but my favorite dress for Betty in season two was the sad-clown dress. She wears it when she’s hosting the dinner and she has this huge transformation in the story where she’s finally realizing who Don is, and it’s the first time we see her in really strong colors—bright yellow, green, turquoise. It was really important to me to have a shift in her color palette. I also love her black fringed dress that she wears in Italy—again, a real transformation in her character. I love Betty Draper so much. It’s just so interesting to me that people hate her. She’s one of the characters who I have true compassion for—she’s a victim of her time.

I have so many favorites with Peggy, because she’s the character that changes all the time. I know Elisabeth will hate me for saying this, but some of my favorite costumes for her were in season one when she was so pregnant and the outfits got uglier and uglier as time went on. I just kept getting bigger and bigger with my plaids. She was, like, “Janie, what are you doing!?” I love that she was willing to be presented in her not most flattering light—that’s the brilliance of Elisabeth Moss and her amazing acting abilities. I think she’s the actress who doesn’t get enough praise. Every time I see her on the screen, I’m completely mesmerized. Also, from this season: her black-and-mustard windowpane dress, her navy dress with the red insets, and her navy-and-black-checked drop-waist dress with the big schoolgirl collar. I loved her grey-and-black wool-crepe dress with the full skirt and the big bow at the neckline—she wore that in season two and season three. Also, this season she wore that amazing, amazing mustard (of course) and green nylon printed dress in the episode with her and Don, when Don and Duck have that brawl in the office. Peggy has had some really great costumes. Her costumes are so graphic, and multilayered, and strong—same as her character.

Sweatpants with words on the tush: why?

Ha! Well…I…you know, I think that derrieres are fantastic. I really do. I mean, a bottom is the most perfect shape in the world. But I’m not sure why you have to put words on it.